Picture building apparatus



Oct. 17, 1939. J. Y. HENRY PICTURE BUILDING APPARATUS Filed July 22, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTOR N EYS 0ct. 17, 1939. J HENRY 2,176,797

' 7 PICTURE BUILDING APPARATUS Filed July 22, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOR N EYS Oct. 17, 1939. J. Y. HENRY Y ,7

PI CTURE BUILDING APPARATUS Filed July 22, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,INVENTOB ATTO R N EYS Patented Oct. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PICTURE BUILDING APPARATUS James Y. Henry, Greenfield, N. H.

Application July 22, 1938, Serial No. 220,770

3 Claims. (01. 35-26) My invention relates to the art of constructing slidably related to the angular faces I! but are composite pictures from individual pieces and inso inclined as to hold the blocks 2| in connected cludes among its objects and advantages the proand sliding relation with the cleats as illustrated vision of an improved key system and locating in Figure 3. Bridge bar 28 is supported in paral- =5: means for locating the pieces in proper relation lel relation with the glass 14, but the blocks 2! 5 to form a completed picture. are of sufficient length to hold the bridge bar in With these and other objects in view, this in spaced relation with the rear face of the picture vention consists in certain novel features of conframe it.

struction, combination and arrangement of parts I provide the bridge bar 2!! with graduations in to be hereinafter more fully described and 23, which graduations are numbered as at 24. claimed, According to Figure l, the numbering 24 reads For a complete understanding of my invention, from left to right, while the numbering on the reference is to be had to the following description cleats l5 reads from top to bottom.

and accompanying drawings, in which To the upper frame part I2 I fixedly secure a Figure 1 is an elevational rear view of the piccleat 25. The lower frame part 12 is provided 15 ture frame and locating mechanism; with two blocks 26 each having an angular end Figure 2 is an elevational view of the front face 7- A pa 23 is Shaped fit between the cleat of the frame illustrating the manner in which the 25 and the blocks 26, which panel is provided with individual pieces may be associated to provide a a resilient facing 29 Which may comprise fabric completed composition; or other suitable material, The panel 28 includes 20 Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 a dovetail 39 arranged to have connected relaof Figure 2; tion with the angular end 21, to effectively sup- Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the p t t e pane against relative S t Wh e line 4-4 of Figure 2; the panel is restrained from relative shifting, it Figure 5 is an end view of the same structure may be lifted outwardly from the frame Ill and m 25 illustrating a support therefor; the clear of the blocks 26.

Figure 6 is an edge view of the support for the A pair of arms 3| is pivotally connected with picture frame; nd screws 32 anchored in the cleat 25. Screws 32 Figure '7 is a plan view of one of the units which re p v w h W ne nuts 33 f r mpin the is to be combined with other similar units to arms 3! in fixed relation with the panel 28. Each 30 complete the pictorial composition. arm 3| is slotted at 34 for loosely receiving the In the embodiment selected to illustrate my inshaft 35 fixedly connected with a finger 36. In vention, I make use of a picture frame I0 which igure 4 I illustrate the shaft 35 as including a may comprise the usual frame parts H and i2, head 31 which, together with the associated fin- These parts are connected into a unitary strucger 36, holds the finger in connected relation with 35 ture in the manner of conventional picture ts a a d arm The finger 35 y be frames, The frame parts II and 12 are shaped shifted longitudinally Of the slot 34 and may be on their rear faces to provide a ledge I3 for suprotated to different positions about the axis of the porting a glass l4. To the back face of the frame shaft 35. Both arms and finger assemblies are part I] I onnect cleat [5 whi h may be made identical in construction so that the description 40 secure by screws 16 threaded into the picture f One W pp y t bo In Figures 3 a d I frame. Cleats I5 are arranged in true parallel illustrate a border insert 38 which may lie on relation and each i provided with n angular the inner margin of the glass 54. This insert may face ll. Each cleat i5 is graduated as at I8 and be made up in Series Of difielent p p o 4,5, the graduations are numbered as at [9. The epen n pon the pictorial p i n to be graduations' and numbers on one cleat correspond truc in e frame. The insert y @0111- exactly with the graduations and numbers on the prise Cardboard er suitable material. other cleat. In Figure 7 I illustrate one of the many pieces A bridge bar 20 has a block 2| attached to each whi y make p the The composite p end which block is arranged in right-angular reture is constructed through the proper selection 50 lation to the bridge bar. Blocks 2! have angular of p s and arranging th pieces in p p r asfaces 22 fitting snugly against the angular faces sembled relation. According to Figure '7, the IT. While the blocks 2| have snug fitting relapiece 39 is provided with pictorial illustrations 30 tion with the cleats I5, the blocks are shiftable which may be colored in suitable design. In lieu longitudinally of the cleats. Angular faces 22 are of pictorial illustrations, the pieces may be pro- 4| in Figure 7. One method of constructing a composite picture consists in reversing the panel 28, illustrated in Figure 4, to bring the cushion 29 to the exposed position of Figure 1. In Figure.

1 I illustrate the piece 39 in place. The proper location of the piece 39 is determined through the medium of the line 42 and the dot, 43. As,- suming that the key list identifies the piece 39 as having a dash value of M, the bridge bar 2!! is shifted to bring its upper edge into alignment with the graduation or graduations l8 on the cleat Hi. In Figure l I illustrate the line H as being properly related to the bridge bar 20. Assuming that the key list identifies the dot 43 as having a value of 2!, the piece 39 is shifted longitudinally of the bridge bar 20 to bring the dot 43 into registration with the graduation 2|. The arms 3] have sufficient room underneath the bridge bar as to permit shifting of the arms when positioned according to Figure 1. After the piece 39 has been properly positioned, the left hand arm 3| is made secure by tightening the thumb screw 33 associated therewith. Such tightening of the thumb screw causes the fingers 36 to be pressed against the piece 39 for holding it in fixed relation with the cushion panel 28.

Figure 1 illustrates a second piece 44 which includes a key number 45 corresponding to the key number 4! on the piece 39; The dash or line 46 on the piece 44 is of the same value as the line 42 of piece 39. The dot 41 has a value of i5 and is located in registration with the graduation of that number on the bridge bar 20. It will thus be seen that additional pieces may be incorporated in the picture to provide a composite finished picture as illustrated at 48 in Figure 2. As each individual piece is placed in position the arms J! may be shifted and made secure for holding that piece or a group of pieces in assembled relation.

After the proper number of pieces have been assembled on the panel 23, the bridge bar 20 is removed and the arms 3! are pivoted entirely in the clear of the panel. This should be done carefully so as not to disturb the arrangement of the pieces. The panel is removed carefully from the frame ill and placed on a support, such as a book, with the edges of the panel projecting beyond the support. The frame is then turned over and properly related to the panel which brings the individual pieces of the picture into pressure relation with the glass. The resilient facing 29 is such as to have effective pressure relation with the individual pieces. The frame 59 and the panel 28 are now grasped and turned over as a unit and placed back upon the support. The panel 28 is removed and reversed to bring the resilient facing 29 into pressure relation with the individual pieces. At this time the arms H are pivoted over the panel 28 and pressed thereagainst by tightening the wing nuts 33 By tightening the wing nuts 33, the. panel 28 will be efiectively pressed against the individual pieces and the parts will be connected into a firm and unitary structure.

An alternative method in constructing the composite picture consists in positioning the frame I0 with its face down, but with the panel 28 removed. The border 38 is then placed in position after which the individual pieces are placed in their numerical order on the glass I4. The line and dot indicators are related to the graduations l8 and 23 in the manner previously described. After all the pieces have been laid the panel 28 is placed in position with the cushion 29 pressed against the pieces.

In the first method described, the picture is exposed to view as it is being constructed, but in the second method the picture is upside down and not exposed to view until finally completed and made secure. It will thus be seen that I have provided novel means which may be manipulated to secure precise location of the individual pieces; The individual pieces may be assembled into a predetermined pattern and made secure without the aid of pins, glue, etc. The system may be employed to teach children the simple, fundamental rules of picture making.

Any child or person can easily create or construct individual pictures from the pieces provided in the set. A constructive picture maybe taken apart without damage to the individual pieces, and the pieces can be used over and over again.

In Figure 5, I illustrate the manner in which the frame I0 may be supported in a substantially upright position for display. A propfifl is provided with a slot 5| shaped to receive the bridge bar 29. For such purposes, the bridge bar 29 is pushed upwardly of the cleats l5'for bringing the blocks 2| into pressure relation with resilient pads 52 connected with the ends of the cleat 25. The blocks 2| will be effectively pinched between the pads 52 and the angular faces ll. With the prop connected with the bridge bar 20, according to Figure 5, the frame I0 is supported at a slight angle to the vertical for display purposes.

I claim:

l. A device of the type described comprising a work support, a series of individual pieces each having a key mark with the pieces adapted to be arranged in a predetermined order to provide a composite pattern, a frame of rectangular contour extending about the perimeter of the work support, a bridge bar extending transversely of the frame with its ends slidably related to the side runs of the frame, said side runs being graduated to determine the location of the bridge bar vertically of the frame and said bridge bar being graduated for cooperating with the key marks on the individual pieces for locating the latter in said predetermined order, arms each having one end pivotally connected with the top run of said frame and adapted to extend underneath' said bridge bar, and fingers slidably and pivotally connected with the other ends of said arms to have pressure relation with individual pieces on said work support, said fingers lying underneath said arms with the latter and said fingers so arranged as-to be movable for bringing the fingers into pressure relation with localized areas throughout the work support.

2. A device of the type described comprising a work support, a series of individual pieces each having key means and adapted to be arranged in a predetermined order to provide a composite pattern, a frame of rectangular contour extending aboutthe perimeter of the Work support, a

bridge bar extending transversely of the frame with its ends slidably related to the side runs of the frame, said side runs being graduated to determine the location of the bridge bar vertically of the frame and said bridge bar being graduated for cooperation with the key means of the individual pieces for locating the latter in said predetermined order, an arm having one end pivotally connected with the top run of said frame and adapted to extend underneath said bridge bar, a finger slidably and pivotally connected with the other end of said arm to have pressure relation with individual pieces on said work support, said finger lying underneath said arm with the finger and the arm so arranged as to be movable for bringing the finger into pressure relation with localized areas throughout the work support.

3. A device of the type described comprising a work support, a series of individual pieces each having a key mark for determining the vertical location of that piece on the work support and a second key mark for determining the horizontal location of the piece, a frame of rectangular contour extending about the perimeter of the work support, a bridge bar extending transversely of the frame with its ends slidably related to the side runs of the frame, said side runs being graduated to determine the location of the bar vertically of the frame in conformity with the key marks on the individual pieces for determining the vertical position thereof, said bridge bar being graduated for cooperation with the other marks of the individual pieces for locating the latter horizontally of the work support, arm means movably connected with the top run of said frame and adapted to extend underneath the bridge bar, and finger means slidably and pivotally connected with said arm means to have pressure relation with individual pieces on said work support, said finger means and said arm means being so constructed and connected for relative movement as to bring the finger means into pressure relation with localized areas throughout the work support.

JAMES Y. HENRY. 

